Intuitive Self-Care: Stop Running on Empty!

Many of us are juggling so many responsibilities and challenges in life that our own health and self- care ends up on the back burner. From long workdays and endless obligations to putting others’ needs before our own and ignoring our inner voice and intuition, we’re like robotic race cars racing around on the verge of running out of electricity. (Mind you, our cars are at least environmentally friendly.) We don’t want to pull over to allow our engines to recharge because we might get behind in the race. Yet, if we stop to think about it, we aren’t quite sure what the race is ultimately for in the first place!

Over the past week, I’ve been stuck in bed with laryngitis and flu-like blahs. So, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about self-care and healing. Many of us are struggling with something these days—whether exhaustion, illness, allergies, pain, depression, anxiety, or a cold that doesn’t want to go away. Beyond those more obvious symptoms, so many of us just feel stressed and out of balance. It’s time to stop this insanity! Throughout my career working with clients and studying quite a bit about well being and self-care, I can unequivocally tell you that making yourself a main priority will not only positively impact all aspects of your life, but it will enable you to be a better friend, caregiver, partner, employee, and citizen. For example, as I’ve made more and more steps to honor my own needs and health, my intuitive reading with clients have become clearer. So, let’s get started! Here are some of my favorite steps for cultivating self-care and wellness.

Trust your intuition: Have you ever ignored a nagging feeling that you need to slow down, only to end up getting sick? Or, you intuitively knew you should turn down an invitation, but you didn’t and then had a horrible time. (And, then you beat yourself up for not listening to your intuition in the first place!) Good self-care involves nurturing and trusting your intuition. Make a habit of checking in with your inner knowing throughout the day. What is it telling you? Do you need to rest, exercise, eat better, avoid a negative person or situation, or even go to the doctor? Trust it!

Take time to meditate each day. I just heard all of you sighing at my mention of meditation. I know you keep trying to make the time to meditate. No more excuses! Meditation is a must for self-care and wellness. In addition to helping you connect to your intuition and the Divine, meditation has been shown to reduce stress and boost healing. Remember there are many forms of meditation, including focusing on your breath. For more on meditation, be sure to read my Intuition 101: Meditation and Stillness for Busy People blog.

Honor your emotions, even the negative ones. With so much emphasis on the law of attraction and positive thinking, many of us swallow our frustrations, angers, regrets, negative feelings, and painful experiences. Some studies have even suggested that physical pain is directly related to repressed emotions in our unconscious; when patients with pain have taken time to acknowledge all their emotions either by journaling or talking, almost all of their pain either went away or decreased dramatically. So, take some time each day to get all your emotions out so you can move on.

Positive thinking really does go a long way. Do you frequently beat yourself up for saying the wrong thing? Or, expect things to not work out? Once you’ve acknowledged negative emotions, put your focus on the positive. To help reframe your thinking, keep a gratitude journal or take some time to do affirmations each day. What you tell yourself impacts your emotions, how you see the world, and even the very cells of your body. If you’re interested in learning more about how your thoughts impact your health, I highly recommend The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton.

Let go of any need to have everyone like you. This is a tough one. Many of us have been brought up with the need to be liked and to be good. We hate to disappoint people and to set boundaries. But, the need to please everyone takes away your power. When you don’t stand up for yourself, your self-confidence dwindles and you start to lose touch with your intuition and purpose. So, just say no! OK, don’t say “no” all the time. But, never say yes when you really want to say no. And, give yourself permission to disappoint people. In The Art of Extreme Self Care, Cheryl Richardson shares a wealth of insight into breaking the need to please as well as more steps for self-care.

Treat your body like a temple! Of course, we’ve all heard about the importance of conscious eating and exercise, but take note of how you think of your body. Stop the negative chatter about wrinkles and so on. Also pay attention to intuitive messages from your body.

A little bit of simple pleasure and fun goes a long way. Many of us get stuck in all the responsibilities of life that we forget to stop and smell the roses. So do something that makes you feel good on a regular basis. It could be as simple as picking some flowers, going to the local park to play on the swings, or having breakfast in bed.

Incorporate more rituals into your life. Rituals help us cultivate an inner sense of calm. What are some rituals that would help you stay grounded in the midst of your hectic day? One of my favorite rituals is taking a soothing bath. Here’s what I do for you to try at home. I mix 1 cup of Epsom salt and 1/2 cup baking soda with the following pure essential oils: 10 drops of eucalyptus, 10 drops of lavender, 6 drops of orange, and 3 drops of Ylang Ylang. I then soak for 20 minutes with meditation music and let go.

In service and love,

Colette

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